The Broken Lute

Garis's father, king of Emmering, was deposed by the usurper Dale at the time of Garis's birth. Since reaching adulthood, Garis has gathered allies and made plans to take the throne. For the past two years, Garis has posed as a servant in the royal castle, avoiding the gaze of Dale.

A vital heirloom that Garis needs to make his move is the magical sword Bonefrost, hidden from Dale when Dale took the throne. But Bonefrost is in the possession of the wizard Hluvend, and his castle is guarded by wolves in a bordering kingdom hostile to Emmering.

With Juggler, a trusted bard, as his only companion, Garis sets out on his quest. If he succeeds in overcoming all hazards along the way and obtains the sword, Dale will never see him coming.

The Broken Lute is a fantasy full of surprises. If you like daring heroes, steadfast friendships, and sparkling poetry, you'll love Ruth Berman's enchanting tale.

I think it's fair to say we live in a dark time. One way to deal this is to read enjoyable fantasy. It's doesn't solve the world's problems, but it gives us some time away from darkness. Which brings us to this novel. I like it. It's interesting and quirky. I enjoy the attention to nature and the earthy detail. I don't remember ever reading a fantasy that mentioned checking for ticks or delousing chickens until now. There's magic, but it doesn't overwhelm the story. For the most part the characters must get through problems with their own abilities: determination of the prince, the songs of the minstrel. I like the way the novel does not meet expectations: the magic sword has very limited-and rather odd-magic. The wizard is not a lot of help. There's violence, which is messy in the way that violence is. but it's soon over, leaving the characters exhausted and not entirely happy. It's not pleasant to count up the people injured or lost. And once you have seized a castle, you have to figure out if there's enough food for everyone. Instead of a glorious victory, It's a new set of problems. In spite of this, the novel is mostly gentle, like a spring day when the trees are opening their leaves, and it ends happily. -Eleanor Arnason, Mythopoeic Fantasy Award winner for A Woman of the Iron People